Grader

ABSTRACT

A grader for a roadway surface includes a material hopper having a hopper inlet, and a hopper outlet. The hopper outlet is configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface. A grader blade is located rearward of the hopper outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway surface. The grader blade has a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide a selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/302,630 filed Jan. 25, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Exemplary embodiments pertain to the art of paving and/or surfacing of roadways, driveways or the like.

A paved driveway or roadway typically has a base layer defining a base of the driveway or roadway and a top layer, which defines an upper or travel surface of the driveway or roadway. The base layer, typically of stone, dirt, sand or a combination thereof, is laid to a desired thickness and contour, or crown, to define a smooth and stable surface onto which the top layer of asphalt or the like is laid. Such a base layer is typically distributed by hand, using tools such as shovels and rakes to spread and smooth the base material at the desired thickness and contour. This task is labor intensive, time consuming and costly, and may result in uneven thicknesses and/or contours in the base material, which in turn results in an undesired profile of the top layer. The art would readily receive an apparatus to make the application and spreading of the base layer more efficient and more precise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one embodiment, a grader for a roadway surface includes a material hopper including a hopper inlet and a hopper outlet. The hopper outlet is configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface. A grader blade is positioned rearward of the hopper outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway surface. The grader blade has a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide a selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the hopper outlet is located in a hopper platform positioned at a lower portion of the hopper, and the grader blade extends through a blade opening in the hopper platform.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the hopper platform is positioned at a platform height from the hopper platform to the roadway surface, and the platform height is greater than the blade height.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the grader blade is operably connected to one or more actuators that, when activated, adjust the blade height.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a hopper length in the travel direction tapers between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments one or more indicator markings are located on the grader to indicate the blade height to an operator.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the lowermost blade surface is one of planar or has a curvilinear profile along a blade width.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the grader is configured to be one of pushed, towed or self-propelled along the roadway.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a movable baffle is positioned at the hopper outlet and is configured to selectably meter the flow of material from the hopper outlet.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the material is one or more of sand, stone, dirt or other paving material.

In another embodiment, a method of distributing a material onto a roadway surface includes loading a volume of the material into a hopper of a grader at a grader inlet, flowing the material out of the hopper via a hopper outlet, and distributing the material on the roadway surface to a selected thickness and/or distribution by a grader blade extending from the grader rearward of the grader outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway. The grader blade has a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide the selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the blade height is selectably changed via one or more actuators operably connected to the grader blade.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the one or more actuators are one or more hydraulic actuators, one or more electromechanical actuators, or one or more electromagnetic actuators.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the blade height is indicated via one or more indicator markings on the grader.

In yet another embodiment, a hopper for a grader for a roadway surface, includes a material hopper including a hopper inlet and a hopper outlet. The hopper outlet is configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the hopper outlet is positioned in a hopper platform located at a lower portion of the hopper, and a grader blade extends through a blade opening in the hopper platform.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the hopper platform is located at a platform height from the hopper platform to the roadway surface. The platform height is greater than the blade height.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a hopper length in the travel direction tapers between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments a movable baffle is located at the hopper outlet and is configured to selectably meter the flow of material from the hopper outlet.

Additionally or alternatively, in this or other embodiments the hopper includes one or more hopper plates located therein to urge a portion of the material across a width of the roadway.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a grader;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a wheel assembly of a grader;

FIG. 3 is a side view of an embodiment of a grader;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hopper platform of an embodiment of a grader;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a hopper platform of an embodiment of a grader;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of blade height indicator markings of an embodiment of a grader;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a grader outlet; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an attachment to isolate a grader from a propulsion source.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.

Referring now to FIG. 1 , illustrated is an embodiment of a grader 10. The grader 10 includes a hopper 12 secured to a supporting frame 14. The hopper 12 includes an inlet 16 or open top portion of the hopper 12 at or near a top side 18 of the hopper 12. Material 20 is placed in the hopper 12 for placement and distribution by the grader 10. In some embodiments, the material (indicated at “20”) is, is for example, sand, stone, dirt or other material 20. The hopper 12 includes a hopper outlet 22 located at or near a bottom side 24 of the hopper 12. The hopper 12 is configured such that gravity feeds the material 20 from the hopper 12 through the hopper outlet 22. The grader 10 is movable via a mount 28 and a wheel assembly 26 mounted to the supporting frame 14, and by pushing by a truck, a tractor or other motorized equipment via the mount 28 (illustrated in FIG. 8 ). In other embodiments, the grader 10 may include a motor to self-propel the grader 10.

Referring to FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the wheel assembly 26 is illustrated in more detail. A wheel assembly 26 is located at each lateral side of the grader 10, and each wheel assembly 26 utilizes a wheel arm 100 extending from the supporting frame 14. Two or more wheels 102 are secured to each wheel arm 100 and spaced in a lengthwise direction along the wheel arm 100. In addition to rolling along a travel direction 30 of the grader 10, the wheels 102 may be pivotable about a pivot axis 104, or may be fixed relative to the pivot axis 104. The use of the wheel arm 100 extending from the supporting frame 14 in the travel direction 30 and spacing of the two or more wheels 102 along the wheel arm 100 greatly improves stability of the grader 10 when being pushed along the travel direction 30.

Referring to the side view of FIG. 3 , when operated, the grader 10 is configured to travel in the travel direction 30. Relative to the travel direction 30, the grader 12 has a forward wall 32 and a rearward wall 34 and opposing side walls 36 extending between the forward wall 32 and the rearward wall 34. In some embodiments the rearward wall 34 extends substantially vertically downwardly from the top side 18 toward the hopper outlet 22. The forward wall 32 includes a vertical first portion 38 extending downwardly from the top side 18, and a vertical second portion 40 extending upwardly from the hopper outlet 22. The vertical first portion 38 is offset from the vertical second portion 40 along the travel direction 30, with the vertical second portion 40 located closer to the rearward wall 34 that the vertical first portion 38. A third portion 42 of the forward wall 32 connects the vertical first portion 38 and the vertical second portion 40. In some embodiments, the third portion 42 is located at an angle 44 relative to vertical. The angle 44 may be, for example, 30 degrees, 45 degrees or 60 degrees, but one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that these angles 44 are merely exemplary and that other suitable angles 44 may be utilized. Further, while a planar third portion 42 having a linear profile is illustrated in FIG. 3 and described herein, in other embodiments the third portion 42 may have a curvilinear or other profile. The third portion 42 is configured to direct the material 20 toward the hopper outlet 22.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , the hopper outlet 22 is positioned at a hopper platform 46, which is positioned at a platform height 48 above a roadway surface 50. Referring now to FIG. 5 , a lowermost surface 52 of the hopper platform 46 has a larger cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the hopper outlet 22. Referring again to FIG. 4 , a movable grader blade 54 extends through a blade opening 56 in the hopper platform 46 and is selectably movable to be raised and lowered relative to the roadway surface 50. The grader blade 54 is located rearward of the hopper outlet 22 relative to the travel direction 30 such that the material 20 passed through the hopper outlet 22 and deposited on the roadway surface 50 is distributed on the roadway surface 50 to a desired material thickness 78 as determined by a blade height 58 of a lowermost surface 60 of the grader blade 54 relative to the roadway surface 50.

Referring again to FIG. 3 , the grader blade 54 is connected to one or more actuators 62 which are fixed to the grader 10 at, for example, the supporting frame 14 or alternatively at the rearward wall 34 of the hopper 12. In some embodiments, the actuators 62 are hydraulic actuators 62, while in other embodiments other types of actuators such as electromechanical actuators may be utilized. The actuators 62 are connected to a controller 64 that an operator may utilize to set the blade height 58. As shown in FIG. 6 , the grader 10 may include indicator markings 70 on, for example, the grader blade 54 or large numerals to indicate to the operator the blade height 58. Referring again to FIG. 3 , in some embodiments the lowermost surface 60 of the grader blade 54 is planar along one or more of a blade thickness 66 or a blade width 68, while in other embodiments a profile of the grader blade may be varied. For example, the lowermost surface 60 of the grader blade 54 may have a curvilinear profile along the blade width 68 direction resulting in a curvilinear or crowned profile of the material 20 deposited on the roadway surface 50.

Referring again to FIG. 1 . the hopper 12 includes features to distribute the material 20 evenly across a hopper width 72 and out of the hopper outlet 22. The features may include one or more hopper plates 74 configured to direct material 20 outwardly toward the side walls 36 to improve distribution of the material 20 across the hopper width 72, which improves distribution of the material 20 onto the roadway surface 50. In other embodiments, other features such as an augur may be disposed in the hopper 12 to aid in distributing the material 20.

In some embodiments, the grader 10 includes one or more features to meter or control the flow of material 20 from the hopper outlet 22. One such configuration is illustrated in FIG. 7 . The hopper 12 includes a movable baffle 80 mounted on a baffle hinge 82, which is secured to the forward wall 32. The baffle 80 is rotated about the baffle hinge 82 to selectably block or unblock the hopper outlet 22. The position and/or movement of the baffle 80 is controlled by one or more linkage arms 84 connected to the baffle 80. The linkage arms 84 may be manually operated, or alternatively connected to and operated by an actuator, such as a hydraulic, mechanical or electromechanical actuator to control movement of the baffle 80 and thus the flow of material 20 out of the hopper outlet 22. In some embodiments, the rearward wall 34 includes an arm stop 86, which in certain conditions interferes with the linkage arms 84 to limit movement of the linkage arms 84 and thus limit movement of the baffle 80.

Referring now to FIG. 8 , illustrated is an exemplary embodiment of the mount 28 located at a rearward wall 34 side of the grader 10. The mount 28 includes one or more grader arms 90 secured to the supporting frame 14, and a respective mount arm 92 secured to each grader arm 90. In some embodiments, the grader arm 90 has a C-shaped configuration and is secured to the supporting frame 14 at each end of the grader arm 90. The mount arms 92 similarly have a C-shaped configuration, and have a pair of arm plates 94 connected to and extending from the mount arm 92. The arm plates 94 extend to the grader arm 90 such that a first arm plate 94 a is located at a first lateral side of the grader arm 90 and the second arm plate 94 b is located at a second lateral side of the grader arm 90 opposite the first lateral side. A mount pivot 96 is installed through the arm plates 94 and the grader arm 90 so that the mount arm 92 is movable relative to the grader arm 90, about the mount pivot 96. This configuration allows the grader 10 to move vertically relative to the apparatus pushing the grader 10.

The embodiments of grader 10 disclosed herein improve ease, efficiency and accuracy of placement and distribution of material 20 on the roadway surface 50 thus improving paving operations of the roadway.

The term “about” is intended to include the degree of error associated with measurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipment available at the time of filing the application.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, element components, and/or groups thereof.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A grader for a roadway surface, comprising: a material hopper including: a hopper inlet; and a hopper outlet, the hopper outlet configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface; a grader blade disposed rearward of the hopper outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway surface, the grader blade having a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide a selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface.
 2. The grader of claim 1, wherein: the hopper outlet is disposed in a hopper platform disposed at a lower portion of the hopper; and the grader blade extends through a blade opening in the hopper platform.
 3. The grader of claim 2, wherein the hopper platform is disposed at a platform height from the hopper platform to the roadway surface, the platform height greater than the blade height.
 4. The grader of claim 1, wherein the grader blade is operably connected to one or more actuators that, when activated, adjust the blade height.
 5. The grader of claim 1, wherein a hopper length in the travel direction tapers between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet.
 6. The grader of claim 1, further comprising one or more indicator markings on the grader to indicate the blade height to an operator.
 7. The grader of claim 1, wherein the lowermost blade surface is one of planar or has a curvilinear profile along a blade width.
 8. The grader of claim 1, wherein the grader is configured to be one of pushed, towed or self propelled along the roadway.
 9. The grader of claim 1, further comprising a movable baffle disposed at the hopper outlet configured to selectably meter the flow of material from the hopper outlet.
 10. The grader of claim 1, wherein the material is one or more of sand, stone, dirt or other paving material.
 11. A method of distributing a material onto a roadway surface, comprising: loading a volume of the material into a hopper of a grader at a grader inlet; flowing the material out of the hopper via a hopper outlet; and distributing the material on the roadway surface to a selected thickness and/or distribution by a grader blade extending from the grader rearward of the grader outlet relative to a travel direction of the grader along the roadway, the grader blade having a lowermost blade surface such that a blade height from the lowermost blade surface to the roadway surface is selectable changeable to provide the selected thickness and/or distribution of the material on the roadway surface.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selectably changing the blade height via one or more actuators operably connected to the grader blade.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more actuators are one or more hydraulic actuators, one or more electromechanical actuators, or one or more electromagnetic actuators.
 14. The method of claim 12, further comprising indicating the blade height via one or more indicator markings on the grader.
 15. A hopper for a grader for a roadway surface, comprising: a material hopper including: a hopper inlet; and a hopper outlet, the hopper outlet configured to flow material from the hopper onto the roadway surface.
 16. The hopper of claim 15, wherein: the hopper outlet is disposed in a hopper platform disposed at a lower portion of the hopper; and a grader blade extends through a blade opening in the hopper platform.
 17. The hopper of claim 16, wherein the hopper platform is disposed at a platform height from the hopper platform to the roadway surface, the platform height greater than the blade height.
 18. The hopper of claim 15, wherein a hopper length in the travel direction tapers between the hopper inlet and the hopper outlet.
 19. The hopper of claim 15, further comprising a movable baffle disposed at the hopper outlet configured to selectably meter the flow of material from the hopper outlet.
 20. The hopper of claim 15, wherein the hopper includes one or more hopper plates disposed therein to urge a portion of the material across a width of the roadway. 